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Henri Bergson Laughter

An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic

Fiction
English
39705 Words
Ages 18 and up
2
0

Henri-Louis Bergson (French: [bɛʁksɔn]; 18 October 1859 – 4 January 1941) was a major French philosopher, influential especially in the first half of the 20th century. Bergson convinced many thinkers that the processes of immediate experience and intuition are more significant than abstract rationalism and science for understanding reality. Bergson had a long affair with musicologist Janet Levy which led to her article "A Source of Musical Wit and Humor." This was a well-regarded article used by many later writers. He was awarded the 1927 Nobel Prize in Literature "in recognition of his rich and vitalizing ideas and the brilliant skill with which they have been presented". In 1930 France awarded him its highest honour, the Grand-Croix de la Legion d'honneur. [more]

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Charles Dickens The Pickwick Papers

Fiction
English
298275 Words
Ages 8 and up
197
2

The Pickwick Papers is Charles Dickens's first novel is a sequence of loosely related adventures. The novel's main character, Samuel Pickwick, Esquire, is a kind and wealthy old gentleman, and the founder and perpetual president of the Pickwick Club. To extend his researches into the quaint and curious phenomena of life, he suggests that he and three other "Pickwickians" (Mr. Nathaniel Winkle, Mr. Augustus Snodgrass, and Mr. Tracy Tupman) should make journeys to places remote from London and report on their findings to the other members of the club. Their travels throughout the English countryside by coach provide the chief theme of the novel. A distinctive and valuable feature of the work is the generally accurate description of the old coaching inns of England. Its main literary value and appeal is formed by its numerous memorable characters. Each character in The Pickwick Papers, as in many other Dickens novels, is drawn comically, often with exaggerated personality traits. Alfred Jingle, who joins the cast in chapter two, provides an aura of comic villainy. His devious tricks repeatedly land the Pickwickians in trouble. These include Jingle's nearly-successful attempted elopement with the spinster Rachael Wardle of Dingley Dell manor, misadventures with Dr. Slammer, and others. Further humor is provided when the comic cockney Sam Weller makes his advent in chapter 10 of the novel. First seen working at the White Hart Inn in The Borough, Weller is taken on by Mr. Pickwick as a personal servant and companion on his travels and provides his own oblique ongoing narrative on the proceedings. The relationship between the idealistic and unworldly Pickwick and the astute cockney Weller has been likened to that between Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Other notable adventures include Mr. Pickwick's attempts to defend a lawsuit brought by his landlady, Mrs. Bardell, who (through an apparent misunderstanding on her part) is suing him for breach of promise. Another is Mr. Pickwick's incarceration at Fleet Prison for his stubborn refusal to pay the compensation to her — because he doesn't want to give a penny to Mrs. Bardell's lawyers, the unscrupulous firm of Messrs. Dodson and Fogg. The generally humorous tone is here briefly replaced by biting social satire (including satire of the legal establishment). This foreshadows major themes in Dickens's later books. [more]

Keywords: the pickwick papers, charles dickens, comic fiction, humor, social satire, english literature, adventure

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James Joyce Finnegans Wake

Fiction
English
220526 Words
Ages 6 and up
1519
1

James Joyce (1882–1941) was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century. Finnegans Wake is a work of comic prose by Irish writer James Joyce that is significant for its experimental style and resulting reputation as one of the most difficult works of fiction in the English language. Written in Paris over a period of seventeen years, and published in 1939, two years before the author's death, Finnegans Wake was Joyce's final work. Finnegans Wake is the book of Here Comes Everybody and Anna Livia Plurabelle and their family - their book, but in a curious way the book of us all as well as all our books. Joyce's last great work, it is not comprised of many borrowed styles, like Ulysses, but, rather, formulated as one dense, tongue-twisting soundscape. This 'language' is based on English vocabulary and syntax but, at the same time, self-consciously designed to function as a pun machine with an astonishing capacity for resisting singularity of meaning. [more]

Keywords: James Joyce, Finnegans Wake, Literature, Fiction, Experimental, Comic Prose, Humour, Anna Livia Plurabelle, Irish Wake, Ireland

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Joy Rip BEAUTY & THE BEAST (Part 1)

Fantastic Deep Space Romances with the Stars of Art Nihilism

Comics & Graphic Novels
English
2 Words
No Age Recommendation
826
6

"BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Fantastic Deep Space Romances with the Stars of Art Nihilism" by Joy Rip is a totally new and different retelling of the famous fairy tale set in outer space. This uglier version of the classic fairy tale is more true-to-life and less heroic. In it, Joy Rip spins a tale ripped from the seamy side of the art world and its players. "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" -- a literary graphic novel by author & artist Joy Rip -- is based on the true story of an up-and-coming artist brutally murdered by a disillusioned fan. At its heart this graphic novel is about the world's replacement of religious culture by man-made culture such as art (and science, technology), and the further displacement of both religious and artistic culture by celebrity culture. It is happening everywhere... and it has been going on for a long time. What is the meaning and importance of art? What is the nature of success in the art world when face-to-face with art nihilism? What is the nature of any sort of success in life when confronted by the bigger picture of nihilism in general? "Fame is a bullet with your name on it..." portends a message on a stark white art gallery wall. Fame is an empty promise. Life is brief. Death is long. Unless... immortality is no fairy tale. Take a look at this unusual and surprising comic book epic by Joy Rip about a chance encounter between a girl named Beauty and an ugly artist called the Beast and see for yourself. [more]

Keywords: beauty and the beast, joy rip, graphic novel, comic book, comics, art

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Joy Rip BEAUTY & THE BEAST (Part2)

Fantastic Deep Space Romances with the Stars of Art Nihilism

Comics & Graphic Novels
English
2 Words
No Age Recommendation
408
4

"BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Fantastic Deep Space Romances with the Stars of Art Nihilism" by Joy Rip is a totally new and different retelling of the famous fairy tale set in outer space. This uglier version of the classic fairy tale is more true-to-life and less heroic. In it, Joy Rip spins a tale ripped from the seamy side of the art world and its players. "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" -- a literary graphic novel by author & artist Joy Rip -- is based on the true story of an up-and-coming artist brutally murdered by a disillusioned fan. At its heart this graphic novel is about the world's replacement of religious culture by man-made culture such as art (and science, technology), and the further displacement of both religious and artistic culture by celebrity culture. It is happening everywhere... and it has been going on for a long time. What is the meaning and importance of art? What is the nature of success in the art world when face-to-face with art nihilism? What is the nature of any sort of success in life when confronted by the bigger picture of nihilism in general? "Fame is a bullet with your name on it..." portends a message on a stark white art gallery wall. Fame is an empty promise. Life is brief. Death is long. Unless... immortality is no fairy tale. Take a look at this unusual and surprising comic book epic by Joy Rip about a chance encounter between a girl named Beauty and an ugly artist called the Beast and see for yourself. [more]

Keywords: beauty and the beast, joy rip, graphic novel, comic book, comics, art

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Joy Rip BEAUTY & THE BEAST (Part 3)

Fantastic Deep Space Romances with the Stars of Art Nihilism

Comics & Graphic Novels
English
2 Words
No Age Recommendation
416
3

"BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Fantastic Deep Space Romances with the Stars of Art Nihilism" by Joy Rip is a totally new and different retelling of the famous fairy tale set in outer space. This uglier version of the classic fairy tale is more true-to-life and less heroic. In it, Joy Rip spins a tale ripped from the seamy side of the art world and its players. "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" -- a literary graphic novel by author & artist Joy Rip -- is based on the true story of an up-and-coming artist brutally murdered by a disillusioned fan. At its heart this graphic novel is about the world's replacement of religious culture by man-made culture such as art (and science, technology), and the further displacement of both religious and artistic culture by celebrity culture. It is happening everywhere... and it has been going on for a long time. What is the meaning and importance of art? What is the nature of success in the art world when face-to-face with art nihilism? What is the nature of any sort of success in life when confronted by the bigger picture of nihilism in general? "Fame is a bullet with your name on it..." portends a message on a stark white art gallery wall. Fame is an empty promise. Life is brief. Death is long. Unless... immortality is no fairy tale. Take a look at this unusual and surprising comic book epic by Joy Rip about a chance encounter between a girl named Beauty and an ugly artist called the Beast and see for yourself. [more]

Keywords: beauty and the beast, joy rip, graphic novel, comic book, comics, art

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Joy Rip BEAUTY & THE BEAST (Part 4)

Fantastic Deep Space Romances with the Stars of Art Nihilism

Comics & Graphic Novels
English
2 Words
No Age Recommendation
521
3

"BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Fantastic Deep Space Romances with the Stars of Art Nihilism" by Joy Rip is a totally new and different retelling of the famous fairy tale set in outer space. This uglier version of the classic fairy tale is more true-to-life and less heroic. In it, Joy Rip spins a tale ripped from the seamy side of the art world and its players. "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" -- a literary graphic novel by author & artist Joy Rip -- is based on the true story of an up-and-coming artist brutally murdered by a disillusioned fan. At its heart this graphic novel is about the world's replacement of religious culture by man-made culture such as art (and science, technology), and the further displacement of both religious and artistic culture by celebrity culture. It is happening everywhere... and it has been going on for a long time. What is the meaning and importance of art? What is the nature of success in the art world when face-to-face with art nihilism? What is the nature of any sort of success in life when confronted by the bigger picture of nihilism in general? "Fame is a bullet with your name on it..." portends a message on a stark white art gallery wall. Fame is an empty promise. Life is brief. Death is long. Unless... immortality is no fairy tale. Take a look at this unusual and surprising comic book epic by Joy Rip about a chance encounter between a girl named Beauty and an ugly artist called the Beast and see for yourself. [more]

Keywords: beauty and the beast, joy rip, graphic novel, comic book, comics, art

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Julie Steimle I am Still Not Electricity

Science Fiction
English
89814 Words
Ages 14 and up
61
0

Two years since the deaths of her parents, Hanna Eber (the sister of the famous comic book artist Saul Christian Eber and model for his electricity-wielding super-heroine Electricity) is in college. However she is facing layoffs at the office where the works as a ‘secretary’ part time for the San Francisco FBI Branch, due to budget cuts. Or at least, she thought she was until one of the directors of the Omega Project arrives, telling her that she and her brother were in fact genetically engineered as part of a super soldier project—and he is there to take her back so they can finish the project. Hanna is determined to prove that this simply isn’t so. After all, her parents would not participate in some sort of unscrupulous government scheme like that, would they? [more]

Keywords: agent, DNA, experiment, project, omega, electricity, comic book, comic, book, super, hero, heroine, powers, electrical, spy, engineering, engineered, secret, genetic, freak, lab, torture, illegal, kidnap, kidnapping, unethical, sneak, computers, FBI, agency, control, conspiracy, clandestine [more][Less]